FX’s ‘Louie’ has a sentimental season three, some thoughts

Hands down the best comedy on television is ‘Louie.’ Not absurd like the brilliant quirky ‘Wilfred,’ or needy and navel gazing as the cringe worthy ‘Girls’. It’s human and real, familiar and adult in its approach. <P></P> <P>’Louie’ on FX is an effort that has eeked out a wholly unique niche of introspective humor that demands your intellect and appreciation of the amusing foibles of one man’s quest to gain level footing in middle-age.</P> <P>The 50 shades of grey backdrop of New York City is the perfect foil for comedian Louis C.K.’s excellent adventure of his fictionalized Louie, who is navigating career and family while dating and manage his friendships with other comedians, often fraught with that competitive thing that always happens between comics in a group.</P> <P>***image3:center***</P> <P> </P> <P>Louie is a single father of two loquacious uber bright daughters who reason and rib their dad in this season. They own him, and it’s a wonderful exchange and display of young thespian talent each time they are on screen. </P> <P>There is tremendous heart and little linear direction in this story of Louie, as last year we loved the episode where he takes us to Afghanistan with the USO. There is no forced beat, no hack joking that litters the work of another infamous FX (and former CBS) star who follows this great series on their new summer Thursday comedy nights. </P> <P>Louis C.K. is brave in his unvarnished presentation of Louie, warts and all, with realism and sincerity that wins us all to his cause in finding his path and a life worth living.</P> <P>The third episode is a stunning love letter to Miami, and a quiet observation on the awkwardness that permeates the friendship dance between straight men in our culture. </P> <P>Guest stars that shine in the six episodes I was fortunate to screen include Oscar winning actress Melissa Leo, a blind date (sort of) who comes to comic Allan Havey’s home. Havey is a great reactor to Louie’s personality.</P> <P>I spoke with Louie at the FX party Tuesday night and Wednesday on the phone and we talked about his cast. "Allan (Havey) is not in any other episodes this year, although I really liked what he did. I was very happy with him, so, yeah, I may bring him back." said Louis, when I asked about his guest stars. "Robert (Kelly) is not in any of season three, but I always think about bringing him back, so maybe season four. Pamela (Adlon) is not in this year. Her story kind of ended in that airport—and that’s not to say she may not come back some other time."</P> <P>There’s a romantic wistfulness about this season, and we get a sense that Louie the character is ready to commit to something. I asked Louis about this.</P> <P>"That’s a really good observation," say Louis. "I think that’s what I felt like writing this one was that this guy—let him try, let’s say, take a little bit bigger swings at being with somebody is kind of like what I feel like was going on too. I never have, like, a defining sense of it exactly, but I’d say that that’s definitely true of this year, and it gets to be more so. Yeah, I’m definitely trying…it’s more about family and missing being in a family and being in a relationship and that kind of stuff. That keeps happening."</P> <P>The core of the six first episodes we watch is Louie’s loneliness and confusion about what he really wants, and what’s lacking in his life. His happenstance meeting with a fetching bookstore character (Parker Posey) set up episodes five and six for a truly entertaining romantic swirl. </P> <P>The thing that makes FX’s "Louie" soar over critical darling HBO "Girls" is Louis C.K.’s understanding of how to take awkward life moments and make them endearing, melancholic and beautiful, as opposed to wincing ugly moments we want to end quickly.</P> <P><STRONG><EM>Louie</EM> airs June 28th on FX at 10:30 PM</STRONG></P> <P><EM><STRONG>If you live tweet the series, make sure to follow @LouieFX</STRONG><BR></EM> </P><EMBED height=315 type=application/x-shockwave-flash width=560 src=http://www.youtube.com/v/1auVcOw0J_8?version=3&hl=en_US allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></EMBED> :30 Dinner Title: Dinner Description: Louie, Premieres Thurs. June 28 at 10:30P only on FX. <IFRAME height=315 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DHCkSBH3w08" frameBorder=0 width=560 allowfullscreen></IFRAME>:30 Girlfriend Title: Girlfriend Description: Louie, Premieres Thurs. June 28 at 10:30P only on FX. <IFRAME height=315 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_o9sY1MLGq4" frameBorder=0 width=560 allowfullscreen></IFRAME>:30 Strawberry Title: Strawberry Description: Louie, Premieres Thurs. June 28 at 10:30P only on FX. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OrS9RAJNC0 Embed: <IFRAME height=315 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8OrS9RAJNC0" frameBorder=0 width=560 allowfullscreen></IFRAME>:15 Beach Title: Beach Description: Louie, Premieres Thurs. June 28 at 10:30P only on FX. <IFRAME height=315 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Juptpvixy9k" frameBorder=0 width=560 allowfullscreen></IFRAME>:15 Head Brace Title: Head Brace Description: Louie, Premieres Thurs. June 28 at 10:30P only on FX. <IFRAME height=315 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zFl6R4BErl0" frameBorder=0 width=560 allowfullscreen></IFRAME>:15 Bike Title: Bike Description: Louie, Premieres Thurs. June 28 at 10:30P only on FX. <IFRAME height=315 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OKc-MLaq540" frameBorder=0 width=560 allowfullscreen></IFRAME>Note the date on this article may be incorrect due to importing it from our old system.